Fuel economy for large trucks is a meaningful factor in profitable trucking. The air drag on trucks is a significant factor in the fuel economy of trucks. Wind fairings on the tops and sides of truck cabs are common sights on the nation's highways.
Few, if any, wind fairings for the blunt fronts of cab over engine trucks are seen on the highways. It would seem that a fairing to smooth the flow of air around the front of the truck would be highly desirable. However, the art has not provided such a wind fairing that is now in general use.
Providing a fairing to smooth the flow of air past the front of trucks presents a number of problems.
First, the air flow must pass through the fairing to the truck's cooling system as well as pass along the sides and over and under the fairing.
Second, the fairing must be readily tiltable to permit the tilting of the truck's cab to gain access to the truck's engine.
Third, the fairing must be provided with functionally effective bumper, headlights, directional signals, and the like.
Fourth, the fairing and mount must serve a large range of truck makes and models.
Fifth, the fairing must provide safety, must not be noisy, and must be aesthetically acceptable to truckers.
A fairing mount that meets the above requirements has not heretofore been achievable, practically and economically.